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Arroyo Grande City Council rejects building moratorium

August 31, 2016
Arroyo Grande City Council

Arroyo Grande City Council

Arroyo Grande City Council voted 3-2 last week to reject a proposed building and annexation moratorium while the city is under drought water restrictions.

Mayor Jim Hill and Councilman Tim Brown supported the moratorium saying that the water its citizens save should not be used for new construction until the water shortage emergency has ended. While rate payers have cut usage, their water rates have risen.

Since the state mandated the city cut its water usage by 28 percent, city residents cut water consumption by 37 percent. Nevertheless, on months where rate payers use more water than their allotment, they are fined up to $200 a month.

Nevertheless, Council Members Jim Guthrie, Barbara Harmon and Kristen Barneich voted against new building restrictions during the drought because there was not a “public health crisis sufficient to justify a moratorium.”

In addition, Harmon unsuccessfully argued for a top-tier water fine of $500.

Following the vote, members of the public voiced their concerns and Harmon and Guthrie agreed to bring the topic back at a future date.


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Don’t worry. Diablo Canyon desal water will save the day.


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GUTHRIE lives in a teeny tiny lot also. Must be nice to fine others from their palaces.

The tiered rates are already a fine.

We double fine our residents.


Take a walk…., look at your neighbors yards.

The drought has given many license to ignore their yards and they look awful

AG in Bllom my as……


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MS. HARMON at the same Council meeting literally asked at what point do we shut off resident’s water?


My god, and she was not willing to discuss a stop to annexations.


Why are the current residents the ones paying for the riches of Magano, Tomkins, Grossman and the like?

It’s BS and it stinks!


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You asked, “Why are the current residents the ones paying for the riches of Magano, Tomkins, Grossman and the like”, easy three word answer. Barneich, Guthrie, Harmon. Lets make sure in November, Ray and Waller are not there.


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Stunned,


You may also want to strongly remind AG voters that Caren Ray is a developer darling.

The contributions to her campaign by Grossman were grotesque.


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My friend had a Caren Ray for Council door hanger at her house yesterday,

Double sided, full color,

Seems a little early and little much for AG.


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This just in:


“Cal Fire is responding to another vegetation fire in the county, this one near Lopez Lake.

A Cal Fire spokesman said crews were at the scene of a fire on Lopez Drive in rural Arroyo Grande. The fire was burning about a quarter acre as of 3:30 p.m. Ground units, aircraft and a dozer were on scene. Lopez Drive between Orcutt and Hi Mountain roads was closed in response to the fire and downed power lines in the area.”


Note to Jim Guthrie: Still think a fire is a red herring?


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Stunned, I hope you vote NO on Waller as well then.


These are direct quotes from his campaign Facebook page:


“A moratorium and or water conservation, may just buy time, but will not be a fix.”


“A substantial proportion of the residents of our town make their living from construction, either directly as carpenters, plumbers, electricians, roofers, concrete workers, pavers, equipment operators, building materials suppliers such as Briscoes, Burke and Pace, Miners Hardware, Orchard Supply, etc. Also indirectly, every store and shop that sells to the people that work in the trades or for the building materials suppliers. All of these businesses and people would take a severe hit in the event of a moratorium. Who gets to tell these people, “sorry, you don’t get to work or sell your products or services in our town”.”


“a moratorium is just a side show.”

*******************************************************


I guess the folks who WON’T be telling the developers to stop WILL be the ones telling us there’s no water left . . .


What is not said at all though, is the number of out-of-area subcontractors Mangano/Wathen Castanos uses on every single one of their tracts.


Here’s another little fun-fact. While the (national chain) Smart & Final was being retrofitted for their move-in, all the plumbing was from an out-of-town contractor. Another Nick Tompkins production.


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I’ve never heard a more nonsensical response than “we’ll revisit this”. You’re damn right we’re gonna revisit this because if you voted against slowing down the growth so the residents have water then I intend to become the biggest a**hole in town.


“Vote no on Guthrie, Harmon and Barneich!” Get used to seeing those words and names “flushed” all over town.


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The plan is for the current residents to CONSERVE so the new residents can move in.


We all know that hotel guests do not CONSERVE.

Pismo Beach has a moratorium.

We have plenty in the pipeline to keep us busy for years!


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The non residential parcels have not been asked to cut back and have had NO FINES!!


Good job installing sod this summer at the AG Hospital! Nice!


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